Breaking the Illusion
by Orpheus Michael Kidwell
Summary: Konoha is a place of peace. It is a place of good will, of understanding, a pure village only wanting to protect those who are unprotected. Their Will of Fire is unquenchable and as good willed as their first kage. This is all an illusion, Uzumaki Naruto comes to find out. The entire world is a precarious genjutsu of freedom only the strongest genjutsu master can expose and dispel.
1. Prologue

**Breaking the Illusion**

**Hey all! Orph here!**

**This story was a bit unexpected, honestly. One of my friends here on this site and fellow author, Uzumaki-Son Naruto gave me an interesting challenge I decided to take. This is the resulting prologue to it. I hope it interests some of you readers.**

**In this story, Naruto will have a few abilities, though genjutsu will be a main offense as well as support to the rest of them. Eventually he will be god powerful, but he's gonna have to work for that power.**

**Oh, and he'll be dark. That's kinda obvious given that I'm writing this though.**

**Anyways, let's get on with it.**

**Prologue**

**[Konohagakure no Sato - Hokage Office]**

The Hokage Office was generally only occupied by one individual - discounting the ANBU guard which only the normal occupant himself knew the precise positions of. That individual didn't look like much. If one wasn't aware of his power and intelligence, they might mistake him for a random old man, a grandfather and nothing more.

With age comes great wisdom though and wisdom only increases power.

He was the Sandaime Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen. He was the student of the Nidaime Hokage, sensei to the Densatsu no Sannin and a man known as the "Professor" for his intellect and strategic ingenuity. This was the man loved by his people and feared by his enemies despite his old age. He was not alone though.

Standing before him was one of Konohagakure's jounin-level ninja as well as their strongest genjutsu user actively serving under his command. Black hair and crimson eyes, pale skin and a strange dress composed of bandages described Yuuhi Kurenai rather well. The woman glanced between Hiruzen and the final member of the room every so often. That final, third member was the reason she was here, after all.

"Kurenai-chan, do you know who that is?" He asked and she nodded. "Tell me."

"Uzumaki Naruto... our jinchuuriki." She replied. It was not a fearful tone, though it was cautious. There were few reasons she would be called by the Hokage in relation to the container of the Kyuubi no Yoko and most of them were not good for him in the slightest.

"And tell me, please, what form his bijuu takes?" Hiruzen questioned. There was no fear of Naruto hearing. He was deeply unconscious and the two were wrapped in a particular genjutsu by Kurenai which blocked all sound from escaping between them.

"A kitsune, Hokage-sama." She replied. Hiruzen nodded and placed something on the desk, some sort of crystalline orb. "Did something happen concerning the Kyuubi?"

Hiruzen wore a rather content smile. "Something did indeed happen, Kurenai-chan. Something marvelous. Tell me, if you would, what two abilities the yoko are known for above all others?" The crimson-eyed genjutsu mistress eyed him strangely before answering.

"The yoko are able to use a variation of hellfire called foxfire as well as are the greatest masters of illusions of all the demonic races." She explained. Her eyes widened. "D-did he use hellfire?" She asked in a tone that spoke volumes of terror. Hiruzen shook his head.

"No, Naruto-kun did not. He did do something else though." Kurenai watched as an image in the crystal ball formed. "Today, as you know, is the fifth anniversary of the Kyuubi's attack on Konoha. Naruto-kun was... attacked. Alcohol and memories resurfacing combined to cause a few men to chase him earlier this day."

Kurenai watched as just what Hiruzen described appeared in the globe atop the Hokage's desk. A group of four men holding sake bottles caught sight of Naruto and began yelling at Naruto. She assumed they were yelling anyways, since there was no sound coming from the ball. A soundless recording with perfect picture quality.

"Is this... a recording?" She asked. The Sandaime Hokage nodded.

"This is a special object created by the Shodaime Hokage's wife which allows me watch certain parts of Konoha to better send out ANBU within the village. I can also replay anything which I have ever seen in my life through it. Fuinjutsu truly is a magnificient art." He shook his head wistfully before allowing the recording to continue. "I won't let the audio out as it would do no good."

"No good, Hokage-sama?" Kurenai wondered as the scene played out further and showed one of the men throw a sake bottle at the blonde birthday boy. Upon seeing such an act of needless, horrifying violence at a defenseless child - even if it did miss by a few centimeters - caused the cold woman to widen her eyes before they filled with fury.

"Dampen your killer intent or you'll awaken Naruto-kun." Hiruzen chided lightly. Kurenai nodded and took control of her emotions, seeing Hiruzen had stopped the memory. "Had you heard the words they used - and will use - you would demand blood penance before you left - and probably get it if not for... well, you'll see."

The globe's still frame of Naruto's frightened expression unfroze to show him suddenly take off running and the quartet grin before giving chase. Kurenai noted how one at a time would grab things from the ground - sticks, rocks and discarded objects - and use them as projectiles. If not for their inebriation, they surely would have actually hit the boy or caught up to him.

"I almost don't want to..." She mumbled and glanced at the blonde boy in the room. He was deep asleep on a chair in the room, curled up like a dog... or a fox. Those whisker marks didn't help either. She truly felt sorry for the boy... but what could she do for him?

By the time she focused on the ball again, she saw him turn a corner and covered her mouth as he realized it was a dead end. Naruto quickly turned but the quartet of drunks were there, one brandishing a broken sake bottle, one with a large stick and the other two punching their fists into their open palms rsther menacingly. All four wore large, satisfied smirks on their faces. Faces Kurenai made sure to memorize then and there.

"This is why I brought you, Kurenai-chan." Hiruzen commented, making Kurenai focus on the ball raptly and unconditionally. One stepped forward and Naruto stepped back, shutting his eyes and moving his lips. If she had to guess, she'd say he was mumbling something about not wanting to be there or for the four to leave him alone.

She was extremely shocked - though not unpleasantly so - when his form shimmered and disappeared from sight. It was not unlike the various invisibility genjutsu she knew, actually. _Wait... invisible, but..._

"Hokage-sama, that shouldn't be possible! He disappeared from _our _sight. That would require for you have been injected with his chakra from however far from the Tower this took place. This is definitely a genjutsu, though I'm unsure how he learned it, and all genjutsu require the target to be infected with another's chakra." The Sandaime Hokage smirked and nodded, pausing the scene.

"No one taught him. I have been keeping an eye on Naruto-kun or had ANBU do so and no one has taught him any ninja skills, even how to access chakra. He did this _instinctually_, Kurenai-chan. The only things ninja can do instinctually without training is a bloodline. Do you see now?" The ravenette wore wide eyes as big as ramen bowls.

"My Kami... a... genjutsu bloodline? Only one other clan has one like that without a doujutsu. Is he related to the Kurama in any way?" Hiruzen tapped his fingers on the desk a few moments before replying.

"I don't believe so. I sent a blood sample to the ANBU Research and Development Headquarters to find out, but we'll see." He grabbed the ball and opened a drawer, placing it inside before locking it with a seal. "I have two theories on my... 'Infection' with his chakra. The first is that through the seals in that alley which I could view the events my eyes and brain were tricked into seeing what the other four also saw, he infected them and thereby infected the crystal ball since they are connected."

Kurenai nodded. "That is possible, I suppose. What's the other theory?"

Hiruzen paused before looking at him. "Like the Kurama's full bloodline, Naruto's illusions affect reality; though instead of tricking reality, they bend reality to cause them to come true. Only experimentation will come up with the truth."

"Experimentation, Hokage-sama?" Kurenai asked in curiosity. Hiruzen nodded and smirked, a smirk that meant he was about to put in motion a genius plan.

"I am accepting your motion to make one Kurama Yakumo, heiress to the Kurama clan of Konihagakure no Sato your apprentice on one condition. You must take on Uzumaki Naruto as a second apprentice and teach both of them at once. Is this term of the agreement acceptable to you, Jounin Yuuhi Kurenai?" The genjutsu mistress of Konohagkure no Sato looked at the blonde boy sleeping and steeled her nerves before turning to Hiruzen, crimson eyes absolutely cold as winter's heart.

"I will, Hokage-sama. They will become the greatest genjutsu users this village, nay, that the entire Elemental Nations has _ever _seen. That I promise to you, on my honor as the last living Yuuhi in existence and the genjutsu mistress of this village, the greatest village in the Nations."

Hiruzen smiled. "Your first lesson begins tomorrow, Kurenai-chan."

**There you go! Chapter end!**

**Well, what do you guys think? Any good? Really bad? Somewhere in between? Tell me so I can make it better.**

**Just a few things about the story.**

**The pairing is final. NarutoxYakumo, no harem. Not in the usual sense, anyways.**

**There will be no bashing.**

**All OCs will be property of either SleepArypsure, Uzumaki-Son Naruto or myself.**

**All Reviews are welcome, even those idiotic, unhelpful flames from people jealous of my talent and trying to bring me down (even though it will never work! Mwahahaha!).**

**Orpheus out! Ja ne!**


	2. Chapter I: Genjutsu Bloodlines

**Breaking the Illusion**

**Chapter I: Genjutsu Bloodlines**

**Hello all! Orpheus here with the next installment to this, my newest story! I am really impressed at the reception so far and can't wait to see where this challenge fic goes.**

**Last time, Kurenai agreed to help Naruto, so let's see what happens when Naruto actually awakens.**

**There are only two reviews I have yet to answer via PM, so I'll do it here.**

**Cerulean Knight: Yes, yes he will.**

**Guest: So, negative actions equals bashing? Yes, the civilians chased him but alcohol amd memories make people do crazy things. I can take from my own experience in this aspect that alcohol makes people violent. I've personally never drank any, but those I know have done nasty things that landed them in jail. Don't underestimate inebriation.**

On the floor of a room located in a different plane of existence, a small body, amongst the other items located around it, was sprawled…

...Zooming in for a closer look, one would notice the face of the body - identified as a young male - scrunch up in pain before its two eyelids lifted open revealing a beautiful pair of ocean blue eyes to the world.

Sitting up from the ground, the young male's head tilted left and right in observation for a few minutes, before he finally noted that he wasn't anywhere familiar to him.

'_Where am I?'_ Naruto wondered. '_This doesn't look like the village.'_

As he further observed his surroundings, he finally concluded that he was in some sort of unknown templ; more specifically, in a large chamber with stone walls and a ceiling he couldn't even see despite torches all along the wall because it was so had awoken to find himself on the floor of the chamber and had only just stood, and the last thing he remembered was...

XxX

"He's this way, boys! Get him!"Naruto saw the wall and widened his eyes, quickly turning around only to freeze in fear as he looked upon those four men who had chased him for what seemed like hours. The first one to step forward had some sort of stick in his hand and it frightened the poor boy halfway to death.

"P-please... Don't hurt me..." Naruto whispered, shakily stepping back. "I didn't d-do anything... I'm sorry... Just take me away from here... Save me someone..." He took another step back, seeing the second man - the one with a broken sake bottle in hand - step forward.

The four suddenly stopped and looked around. "Where'd he go?" One of the unarmed thugs asked. "He was just here!"

"Is this some sort of ninja trick?" The one with a stick demanded.

"The matron swore he had no training!" The one with a bottle growled.

"It must be the Fox! The damn Kyuubi sealed inside him finally took over and cast an illusion! He still has to be here! We have to kill it before it's too late!" He ordered and threw his bottle at Naruto. By some sort of luck, the side hit the blonde upside the front of his cranium and Naruto's vision grew dark and blurry as he now saw only the ground.

He realized then that he had fallen forward only a moment before he lost consciousness...

XxX

_What happened after that? How did I get here?_ Naruto had to wonder as he noticed something strange in the room he hadn't before. _How'd I miss those?_

He thought as he approached what seemed to be a large mural and a set of two stone figures in the mural was weird because it showed the silhouette of a human but he had horn-like protrusions and his eyes were visible, white with six, concentric, red rings around the pupil. In the figure's right hand was a monk's ringed staff and behind him floated what seemed to be ten small orbs, five to each side. In the background of the mural was a rather large tree with a single fruit hanging from a branch and a full moon.

The statues were set just under the mural to either side. On the left was a humanoid figure without any features on its face but eyes, eyes with a spiral starting from the pupil and extending to the edge of the iris. On the right was a similar statue except its only discernable feature were two extra sets of arms.

"I was wondering when you'd show up, Naruto." The blonde heard a smug tone and turned quickly, widening his eyes upon what he saw. It was almost like looking in a mirror if you discounted the fact that the person he was looking at had eyes the color of blood. "Don't look so surprised, Naru." The almost clone taunted.

"Who are you?" Naruto asked curiously as he stepped forward cautiously, putting them now less than a meter apart. The red-eyed boy smirked and stepped forward.

"I guess you could say I'm you, though I'm also not. Due to certain... events, a part of you has been locked away for a long time. Since birth in fact. This part of you grew a consciousness and became me, Uzumaki Yami." The now identified Yami explained. "Under other circumstances, we might be enemies - in fact, you appeared here earlier than I thought you would."

Naruto pondered what this... other self of his told him. He didn't understand some things he said - which was a strange feeling, to not understand yourself - but answered anyways. "Why would I be enemies with myself?" He asked. "If you can't trust yourself, you've got no one." Yami chuckled.

"Still naive, but what else could one expect? You're without half of yourself. You can't see the darkness in everything like I can, Naru." Yami looked at the statues. "Do you know what happened after you passed out, Naruto?" The blonde shook his head. "I was able to finally surface to the outside world."

"So what? I have to fight you for control from now on?" Naruto asked cautiously. He was surprised when Yami shook his head.

"I wasn't strong enough to have it for long... the feelings of those drunks gave me power. It was enough though." Yami waved a hand and the chamber disappeared, being replaced by that alley. Naruto and Yami were in between Naruto and the thugs as it played through. "After you passed out, that illusion you somehow activated to become invisible timed out. Once they caught sight... well, they released an enormous amount of Wrath."

The thugs could be seen grinning as they slowly approached Naruto's unconscious body, the stick wielder gripping it while the other three rubbed their hands together. "The thing is, their drunken state and the memories of the Kyuubi attack that took people they loved away was enough to see us as the Kyuubi in human flesh and act on that notion. They wanted some sort of revenge. That feeling of pure, unbridled wrath helped me though, it gave me power."Naruto could then be seen opening his eyes, Yami's eyes, and stood. The four smirked seeing him rise. "It'll be funner hearing you scream, demon." One of them commented as Yami looked at them before wearing a large smirk, a mad grin that was almost insane.

"Unlike you, I've known about our... 'gift' since I came into existence. I used it in self-defense, you could say." As Yami told Naruto this, the young, blue-eyed male watched the scene before him play with a set of curious eyes as the Yami in the flashback extended his palm towards the four; seeing them drop to the floor moments later following said movement caused Naruto to look back at his... alternate self.

"Why are you telling me this?" He asked, causing Yami to make eye contact with the other boy and shrug before giving an honest reply.

"It'll help you. I need you to become strong, Naruto. I can't have my other self be a weakling. So, get strong that way I don't have to save you again. You have to leave now, just don't tell anyone about me. Split personalities are frowned upon by those that would hold us back and down."

And just then, when Naruto was about to say something, the scenery he viewed faded in exchange for another...

**[Konohagakure no Sato General Hospital - Room 427]**

Just like any other hospital room, 427 was sterile and white. In most ways it really was no different than any other, at first glance that is. Someone trying to actually the enter the room by either the sole window or door would encounter a few of those differences those.

If someone was actually idiotic enough to climb up to the fourth floor of the hospital and attempt to open the window just half a meter to the right of the bed, a nasty shock would send them rebounding off the wall, plummeting down to the ground at near terminal velocity. Without ninja training, such a feat in of itself would be both difficult and quite moronic.

The much easier path inside the room would be the obvious one, straight through the door. That one happened to be even more difficult for a normal person to enter. Only certain individuals could even approach the door, admittedly. Room 427 was hidden by multiple layers of both genjutsu and fuinjutsu, guarded by two trusted ANBU anytime it was occupied and layers of barrier, containment and chakra blocking seals within the room itself kept the individual inside absolutely safe from any harm while healing.

In reality, a grand total of only three people ever were patients in this room. Uzumaki Mito was the first. Due to her rather dangerous training practices, she was often a patient of the building after Tobirama had it built. She also happened to be one of the top medics of Konohagakure no Sato, thus not needing another medic-nin to aid her. Because of this, and her dangerous status as the Shodaime Kyuubi no Jinchuuriki, she herself formed all the defenses on this room to prevent anyone from infiltrating in an attempt to either free or steal the Yoko.

The second person to ever receive treatment in this room was Mito's successor, Uzumaki Kushina. Even before Kushina became the Nidaime Kyuubi no Jinchuuriki, Mito would heal her in this room if she could not treat her within the Senju Compound and afterwards, Kushina's jounin sensei Senju Tsunade would do the same until her departure from the village. After that point it was generally Sarutobi Biwako who had the role of medic towards Kushina. Up until the death of both exactly five years ago, that is.

The third and final patient currently occupied the bed, one Uzumaki Naruto, Sandaime Kyuubi no Jinchuuriki of Konoha. He was blissfully unaware of the fact he was not alone, not in the slightest. Three other individuals - discounting the ANBU - were within what some older ninja jokingly dubbed the Uzumaki Room years and years before.

Just beside his bed in one of the chairs was a young heiress by the name of Kurama Yakumo, perhaps one of the youngest members of that clan to be praised for her high potential. This particular girl had inherited the full bloodline of the Kurama Clan, a kekkai genkai known as the Shishogan which enabled them to literally affect reality. Yakumo, just five years old, held another special talent though. That particular talent happened to be art and dictated what she was currently doing, that being drawing the blonde in front of her in a sketch pad. Despite her youth, Yakumo was doing an extremely good job at capturing his image onto the paper.

Silent as she was, Yakumo was doing nothing to disturb the young jinchuuriki. That fact probably was the deciding fact in why the two adults of the trio left her alone with him and were conversing off to the side. Those two happened to be Jounin Yuuhi Kurenai and Sandaime Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen. Quiet enough Yakumo heard nothing - aided a bit by silencing genjutsu - but loud enough they could barely catch what the other was saying.

"Hokage-sama, remind me why he's here? I know for a fact that he doesn't need to be here to recover. Chakra exhaustion is remedied easily by a night's rest." Kurenai questioned. "And why did you wish me to bring Yakumo along?" Hiruzen gave a mysterious smile.

"The answer to your first question, Kurenai-chan, is simply that this room is many things, but it is not a simple hospital room. This room has been shared by the Uzumaki of this village since the Nidaime's reign to heal. I would venture to say that it is, in fact, safer than even my office or the ANBU HQ. Besides that, because two other Uzumaki spent some time here, it is naturally full of an abundance of residual Yang-natured chakra."

Kurenai tilted her head in confusion. "Yang-natured chakra? I do not believe I have heard of that particular style." Hiruzen gave a light chuckle.

"Worry not, Kurenai-chan. It is not something many are knowledgeable of. Yet, it is something every person holds and many ninja even ignorantly utilize. As you know, all chakra is a compilation of spiritual and physical energies working in conjunction, equivalent in quantity as they mix. These aspects each have lesser known names though: Yin Style and Yang Style.

"While ninjutsu uses the base mixture of chakra, abstract techniques such as genjutsu, fuuinjutsu and even being the deciding factor in chakra control require Yin Style. On the other hand, Yang Style is used for taijutsu, bukijutsu, medical ninjutsu and is the heaviest weight on chakra capacity. Where Yin is mind, Yang is body. Where Yang is power,Yin is control. Yin is form while Yang is life."

Kurenai nodded slowly. "So... if residual Yang-natured chakra is contained within this room... it would cause this particular location to act like a wellspring of regenerative healing?" Hiruzen nodded.

"Partially. To those like you and me, not at all. However, Naruto-kun is of the Uzumaki and thus his chakra system is compatible with the life energy held within it. Does that explain why he was brought here to the hospital and to this room in particular?" Kurenai nodded, glancing at the blonde to ensure he was still asleep.

"And Yakumo?" Kurenai brought up, hoping her piqued curiosity might finally be answered. "Couldn't their meeting have waited?"

"Surely. It could have waited until your lesson, but I would much rather they see each other now. I have a feeling that those two will become genjutsu masters rather quickly, Kurenai-chan. As you know, those who are masters of that particular art have problems regarding trust because of the skills they utilize. I know that this meeting doesn't seem like much but it is really.

"Meeting now instead of tomorrow means they meet as friends instead of teammates. That one change is so subtle, yet so important. Someone such as you certainly understands how powerful a subtle change in the environment can be, surely?" Kurenai smiled and nodded, seeing his argument.

"You truly are the Professor, Hokage-sama." She conceded. "I suppose all there is to do is wait for him to wake up." Hiruzen nodded.

"All there is to do is wait for something that already happened." He replied before turning to regard the young jinchuuriki. "Hello, Naruto-kun. Did you sleep well?"

The blonde looked up at the old man and smiled. "Sure thing, jiji." He replied with a smile only the best could tell was fake. Hiruzen and Kurenai saw through it, though Yakumo was far too young to tell. In his lap was Yakumo's sketch pad, actually and the pair of adults supposed Yakumo had been showing him her collection of art.

"I see you've already met Yakumo-chan." Hiruzen noted, making Naruto nod.

"She promised to help me learn how to draw!" Naruto exclaimed, causing the girl to grin a bit sheepishly and blush lightly. "Who are you?" The blonde suddenly asked as he finally saw the red-eyed genjutsu mistress. She smiled and stepped forward, holding out her hand.

"My name is Yuuhi Kurenai, Naruto-kun." She introduced herself. For a moment, Naruto didn't react but then he grinned and shook her hand.

"I'm Naruto, Uzumaki Naruto. Your eyes are really cool, are they a doujutsu?" He asked and it was then that the Jounin realized he hesitated because he was looking at her eyes.

She smiled with closed eyes, laughing a bit. "Oh, not at all, Naruto-kun. It is a family trait on my father's side. Maybe at one time the Yuuhi had a doujutsu, but not anymore. We simply have unique eyes that happen to be a dominant trait."

The Hokage cleared his throat, gathering everyone's attention. "Naruto-kun, there is something else that you need to know. Kurenai-chan happens to be both a Jounin and one of the best genjutsu users in the village, the best one without a bloodline in fact." Naruto widened his eyes as he looked at the woman again. "I can only think of two better than her in the art, both Uchiha and ANBU. Yet... Yakumo-chan and you will likely overtake all three of them in skill over illusions."

"M-me?" Naruto asked. "Why do you think that, Hokage-jiji?" He wondered, looking at the old man.

"Naruto, do you remember earlier today when those... men attacked you?" Naruto looked away, but nodded. "Somehow, you used an invisibility genjutsu Kurenai and I agree was at least of B-rank if not higher. Without any sort of training, it means you have some sort of genjutsu kekkai genkai, like Yakumo-chan here."

Naruto's eyes widened and took the opportunity to Kurenai speak. "Only two clans to my knowledge have genjutsu kekkai genkai, the Uchiha and Kurama. Your kekkai genkai is different from theirs though..." She explained. "I don't actually know the extent or limit of it, but Hokage-sama and I agree that it would be best if the people to help you unlock it be Yakumo-chan and myself, a team of three potential genjutsu masters."

"She is correct, Naruto-kun. If you are willing, I wish to have Kurenai-chan teach Yakumo-chan and you as her co-apprentices. What do you say?"

"She'll help me become a ninja?" Naruto asked, gaining a nod from both adults. "Absolutely, jiji! I'll make you proud and be the best genjutsu user in the whole Elemental Nations!"

**And that's it!**

**Tell me what you guys thought of this chapter and the story so far. I'm looking forward to it!**

**Naruto's mysterious kekkai genkai will be explored in forthcoming chapters, but I'd love to hear what some people hypothesize it can do (extents/limits).**

**And what about Yami? Just what role might he play in all of this? Is he to do with the change in Naruto's mindscape?**

**Those questions and more will be answered in the future!**

**Orpheus out! Ja ne!**


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